Dear Jim,

It has been a few years since we spoke and you consulted on my Rumford fireplace. Herewith is a picture of the finished fireplace. After I completed it, I could not find a big enough mantelpiece. It took me a year after I built it to locate a 48" mantelpiece at Stamford Salvage in CT. The piece was about 150 years old and in terrible shape. I dismantled it and refinished every piece of wood by hand. It is made out of quarter sawn oak and has a beautiful pattern.

We have been using the fireplace actively with a tipi log arrangement. I was astounded by the efficiency of the heat generated. My brother in law (who built the fireplace with me and is a professional mason) still cannot believe how much better the Rumford is from all of his other fireplaces including his own.

Thanks again for everything. If you want more pictures, I can get some from the actual construction and scan them.

Orestes Sanchez